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Faraway Reach

You drift through a dim cavern in a kayak. Droplets fall from stalactites above into the gentle water below, as you gradually near the bright light at the end of the tunnel. You cross the threshold, and blinding warmth caresses your face. You beach the vessel on a nearby sandy shore, and jog towards a massive group of people dancing to a tantalizing beat. The ground beneath the crowd changes colors in response to movement. You join the celebration. . .

It was high time for house music to shed its skin, emerge from its club-centric home, and journey out into the light of day; thus, tropical house was born. Numerous producers have made their names on the whimsical melodies of the sub-genre, but no artist designs sounds that evoke the feeling of warm escape quite like these guys. Faraway Reach is the newest full-length from Los Angeles production/DJ duo Classixx.

Michael David and Tyler Blake have always excelled at enhancing their features with blissful house instrumentals, and this time around they bolster their list of collaborators further with artists like How To Dress Well’s Tom Krell, Passion Pit’s Michael Angelakos, Holy Ghost!’s Alex Frankel, and even T-Pain. It’s the ideal soundtrack for a sultry journey to sun-drenched beaches, complete with colorful melodies and grooves abound.

The immense depth of these songs is unveiled with a closer look at the lyric sheet, filled with world-weary topics like allowing pain to influence life without consuming it entirely (“Just Let Go”), vapid arguments between partners (“In These Fine Times”), and consoling loved ones in the throes of depression (“I Feel Numb”); it’s aural revitalization. If you’re seeking vividly colorful, tropical house-flavored pop, this album is for you.